Guard for the wheels of vehicles



192 Apnl 26 w. D. RATCLIFF GUARD FOR THE WHEELS 0F VEHICLES Filed Aug. 27', 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 26 1927. 1,625,824

I w. D. RATCLIFF GUARD FOR THE'WHEELS OF VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet Fig.2.

A THE/VET I: MWQ W' Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

untrue FSTATES {PATIENT oaaFrcE.

WIIjLIA1VI DOOKRKY RATGLIFF, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO I'NVENTO'RS TRADING COMPANY, IiIlVI'ITED/UF "LONDON, ENGLAND.

GUARD FOR' IlHEI-IEEL'S OF iVEI-II-CLES.

Application tfiled August 27, 1924, Serial :No. 734;495,iand in Great Britain August 27, 1923.

this invention relates to an improved guardfor tllQWheGlS of vehicles and has for its objectlto so completely shieldthe frontportion of-tliecircumference of the said wheels that they shall be ;prevented from ;passing overhuman or animal :bodies or other-obstructions accidentally struck by the vehicle.

The apparatus; described hereineis particularly applicable for :use 'Wlill the front or leading Wheels of mechanically {propelled road vehicles. i

:Indts simplest-formtthe Wheel guard con structed according to my invention comprises ti-segmental iframe adapted to embracecircumferentially the leading upper portion of the ;said Wheel and tangentially depend downwardly-t0 a point at a suitable distance from the groundas Willallow normal :road clearance. The said frame is suitably secured to two spiders, one situatedon either side of the vehicleavheel, the outer spider beingmotatably mounted upon the axle cap of'thesaid Wheeland the inner spider secured by bolts or other suitable means to the swivelling'lug orilugsxof the stub axle. Suitably arranged :in front of the ver tioahportion of the said frame and pivotally secured thereto at its upper end is ainainguard :member adapted to engage any object in the track of the said heel. At the lower extremity of the said frame is a piivotally arranged supplementary guard rnember or flap which adapted to benormally :held in an approximatelyhorizontal position bye suitably arranged pawl or r awls. This saidpawlor pawls is orare 1; adapted to be thrown out'ofengagement and rreleasethe saidfiap onany slight backward :pressurebeing exerted on the outer face of the :main guard member such as by its impact wit-litany bodyor object inthe track of the Wheel. 0 11 being released the suppleimentary v-guardki'nember or iiap falls into a --.uerticalgposition Where it is'retained'by annothersuitably .arrangedpatvl or pawls, and, closingthe clearance gap between thelower extremity of zthe main guard member or buffer andthe road, prevents the body on ob- :jectrfroinpassing beneaththe Wheels. "The imain iframemember of theapparatus is .so securedin position that it will remain'in the same radial plane with the Wheel and traverse therewith'in such mannerthatlthe said guard will cover the trackof'the wheel for any axial mosition ithat the latter mav assume.

And tinorder that my invention vmay be clearly V understood,reference should be made to the appended sheet of drawings in which Fig. .1 isia side'elevation of a front Wheel of a mechanically driven vehicle fitted With a guardconstructed and arranged according to my invention, the said guard being sho vn in its normal Working position.

.2 is an end elevation of ftheguard andu heel shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows in sectional detail to an en larged scale the retaining pawl and releasingmechanism of the supplementary guard member or flap inthe inoperative or normal position. The operative position of the said member is indicated in broken lines.

Fig. l showsin sectional detail to an enlarged scale the mechanism for holdingthe said supplementary guard member or flap in its vertical-oriinoperative position after it .hasbeen released by the mechanism shown in "With referenceto'Figs. l and 2,the guard frame member A, comprising a segmental quadrant A and a downwardlydepending portion A is secured bybolts K K and K to the spiders "B and B situated on either-sideof the yehicle wheell The outer spider B isprovided at its centre with aboss C which carries "roller,'ball, or other suitable bearing'C and is rotatably mounted upon the axle cap or hub F o'f'the Wheel. The inner spider B Fig. 2, is securedby bolts, studs or other suitable means to'the swivelling'lug-onlugs D of the stub azile of the said wheel in such manner that the said frame A will move aiiially \vith'the Wheel]? for any degreeof angularity.

Pivotally suspended 'fromthe bolt K of thefframe member A and in front thereof is the main or operating guard member H which may be provided on its leading surface with abuffer of rubber or other suitable resilient material for absorbing shock of impact.

frame A carries at its lower extremity a pivot pm I upon which is mounted the-supplementary guard or flap L comprising a metal portion L with which secured a shoe of rubber or other suitable like material L to ali ord a resilient face for contactwith any ineqtuility in the road surface when in the operative or vertical position.

The member L is normally held in its inoperativeposit-ion by a pawl M, Fig. 3, pivotally mounted on a pin M and adapted to engage a ratchet tooth or socket L suitably formed on the boss L, of thesaid member. Preferably integrally formed with the pawl M is a lever N in operative engagement with the lower portion of the operating guard member H through the medium of a slidably mounted pin 0 in such manner that any slight backward pressure on the face of the said operating guard H will cause the pawl M to disengage and allow the guard member to fall into a vertical position. The tension of the spring V surrounding the pin 0 can be adjusted to the desired pressure required to release the pawl M.

In order that the supplementary guard member L may be retained in the operative position againstany backward pressure due to impact with a body or other obstruction, a pawl ll, Fig. 4, pivotally mounted on a pin R, on the inner portion of the frame A is adapted to engage a ratchet tooth L suitably formed in the boss L, of the said member L and at the opposite end thereof to the releasingmechanism, when the said supplementary guard member is in a vertical position.

On any obstruction being encountered in the track of the wheel, bythe main operating member or guard H, the pawl M disengages from the ratchet tooth L and allowing the supplementary guard member L to fall to the vertical position, closes the normal clearance gap between the lower extremity oi the member H and the road surface. The member L being retained in the vertical position by the pawl R, the body or other obstruction which causes the backward thrust upon the operat-ing member H is pre rented from passing beneath the wheel P and being crushed thereby.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A wheel guard comprising a member adapted to extend in front of the wheel with its lower end spaced from the surface over which the wheel passes, a second member connected directly to the first mentioned member for swinging movement, means for normally holding the second mentioned member at an angle to-the first mentioned n'iember, and means for releasing the second mentioned member so that it may swing into vertical position.

2. A wheel guard comprising a member adapted to extend in front of the wheel with its lower end spaced from the surface over which the wheel passes, a second member connected directly to the first mentioned member for swinging movement, means for normally holding the second mentioned member at an angle to the first mentioned member, means for releasing the second mentioned member so that it may swing into vertical position, and means for holding the second mentioned member in its vertical position.

A wheel guard comprising a member adapted to extend in front of the wheel with its lower end spaced from the surface over which the wheel passes, a second member connected to the first mentioned member for swinging movement, a pawl for normally holding the second n'lentioned member at an angle to the first mentioned member, and means for releasing the pawl so that the second mentioned member may swing into substantially vertical position.

l. A wheel guard comprising a member adapted to extend in front of the wheel with its lower end spaced from the surface over which the wheel passes, a second men'iber connected to the lirst mentioned member for swinging movement, a pawl for normally holding the second mentioned member at an angle to the first mentioned member, means for releasing the pawl so that the second mentioned member may swing into vertical position, and a pawl for holding the member in its vertical position.

5. A wheel guard comprising a member adapted to extend in front of the wheel with its lower end spaced from the surface over which the wheel passes, a second member connected to the first mentioned member and normally held above the surface over which the wheel passes, and a pivoted member for releasing the second mentioned mem ber so that it may move into close proximity to the surface.

6. A wheel guard comprising a member adapted to extend in front of the wheel with its lower end spaced from the surface over which the wheel passes, a second member connected to the first mentioned member for swinging movement, a pawl for normally holding the second mentioned member at an angle to the first mentioned member, and a pivoted member for releasing the pawl to allow the second mentioned member to swing into substantially vertical position.

7. A wheel guard comprising a member adapted to extend in front of the wheel with its lower end spaced from the surface over which the wheel passes, a second member connected to the first mentioned member for swinging movement, a pawl for normally holding the second mentioned member at an angle to the first mentioned member, and a spring control pivoted member for releasing the pawl to allow the second mentioned the Wheel passes, means -for releasing the second mentioned member whereby it may 10 fall into close proximity to the surface, and means for supporting the guard so that it will move with the wheel in its steering movement.

WILLIAM DOCKRAY RATCL IFF. 

